REVIEW! Tapas and Drinks at Disney World’s NEW Barcelona Lounge!
We’re returning to Walt Disney World’s Gran Destino Tower this afternoon to share Barcelona Lounge‘s late-morning through midnight offerings of spirits, wine, beer, and light bites!
Barcelona Lounge
Yesterday we explored this beautiful space, with its Gaudi-inspired stained glass bar, golden hanging lanterns, and soaring columns, in our FIRST LOOK. Click here to see more from the Lounge! Suffice to say, it took our breath away, and we’re thrilled to be back in the space — this time for a look at some drinks and eats!
Check out our We’re LIVE post HERE for links to other Gran Destino Tower reviews and photo tours!
Barcelona Bar
We tried a few of the bartender’s recommendations for cocktails (two featuring gin from the Tower’s extensive collection) and two of the light, Spanish-inspired eats offered in the Lounge.
Barcelona Lounge Eats and Drinks
Drinks
Barcelona Lounge has a large and diverse menu of beverages, with a thoughtful focus on gin tonics. The gin tonic is a popular drink in Spain, and at Barcelona Lounge, guests are encouraged to have a little fun with theirs.
Barcelona Lounge Menu
Of the three Specialty Cocktails we tried, two of them — the Gran Gin Tonic and the Santa Maria Collins — feature gin. The Sherry Cobbler, unsurprisingly, celebrates sherry.
Cocktails at Barcelona Lounge
The cast members we spoke with at Barcelona Lounge were eager to share their knowledge and recommendations. The Gran Gin Tonic is the signature drink of Gran Destino Tower, but for Barcelona Lounge patrons who don’t want to be overwhelmed with gin flavor, bartenders recommend the sweet Costa Del Sol with sweet-and-sour, pineapple, and fresh fruit.
Gran Destino Gin Tonic
We tried the Gran Gin Tonic, which makes a great first impression in orange and green. A sprig of rosemary adds some height to the glass and is a strong aromatic (so maybe remove before drinking if you’re not a big fan).
Gran Gin Tonic
The components of the Gran Gin Tonic ($13.00) are Tanqueray Gin, House-made Saffron-Orange Tonic, and Soda Water. It’s the saffron-orange tonic — made in-house — that gives the drink its distinctive color.
Gran Gin Tonic
But the orange and saffron also lead the way in the drink’s flavor, which is powerfully orange and a bit sweet.
Gran Gin Tonic
As a signature drink, it leaves an impression — a good one — and is an appropriate representation of the complex and beautiful Tower.
Gran Gin Tonic
The Santa Maria Collins ($11.50) likewise showcases gin, this time Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin with Lime, Strawberry, and Club Soda. A little bit sparkly, a good amount of sweetness, and a lot of fruity notes make this drink dangerously easy to drink. Highly recommend — but pace yourself!
Santa Maria Collins
Just as a note: we were told the Tini Sucio ($12.50) has been a popular choice, and as it’s essentially a dirty martini, we’re not surprised. 
The bartenders are also well-versed in helping patrons Build Your Own Gin Tonic ($13.00) from the array of choices.
Tonics
Specialty Cocktails cover a wide range of flavors, including the Cafesito Conquistador, which features Cold Brew Coffee, and the two drinks we tried from this part of the menu: the Sherry Cobbler and the Sangria Tinta.
Cocktails
The Sherry Cobbler ($12.50) — aside from its clever name — is a tasty drink that finishes sweet despite the obvious presence of sherry. It combines Emilio Hidalgo Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Sweet-and-Sour, Orange, and Fresh Fruit. We also tried this one at Villa del Lago when it recently opened. Note that the two locations do share quite a few of the same drinks!
Sherry Cobbler
Sherry Cobbler gets a lot of flavor from the fresh fruit that’s used as a garnish and in the glass. We enjoyed drinking this one, too!
Sherry Cobbler
The Sangria Tinta (as it’s listed in the menu) is comprised of Garnacha Old Vines, Torres Magdala Naranjas del Mediterráneo, and Orange.
Sangria Tinta
The Sangria Tinta tasted fresh and light — making it another refreshing option for those hot Florida nights.
Sangria Tinta
Barcelona Lounge also offers a Spanish Margarita and a Pomelo Daiquiri, among other creative concoctions.
Cocktails
And the wine list at Barcelona Lounge offers many vintages from Spain and California. In fact, we were told that 80% of the wines offered in Gran Destino Tower establishments is Spanish in origin.
Wine
Wines
And the Distinctive Spirits Collection — like the one in Dahlia Lounge — is impressive!
Distinctive Spirits Menu
Distinctive Spirits
Additional offerings include Hot Beverages with and without alcohol, cold beverages like fountain drinks and cold brews, and Zero Proof Mocktails.
Beverages
We tried an espresso, Cafesito Delicioso. It was rich and intense in flavor, fortified with coffee liqueur.
Cafesito Delucioso
Earlier today, we also tried the Cafe Bombon, espresso with sweetened condensed milk.
Coffee Menu
It was another winner, giving us the kick we needed for more exploring!
Overall, the drinks at Barcelona Lounge were terrific, leaving us wanting to try even more!
Eats
Barcelona Lounge also offers a small menu of light, Spanish-inspired bites. We sampled two, both of which include multiple components.
Barcelona Eats
We opted for the Spanish Charcuteria (because when have we passed up the chance to eat meat and cheese?) and A Taste of Barcelona.
Food
The Spanish Charcuteria ($12.00) consists of meats, cheeses, olives, and fig jam. It’s served with sliced, grilled sourdough.
Spanish Charcuteria
This was an amazing platter of food. The meats were flavorful and salty. The olives added a nice briny-ness to balance that out.
Spanish Charcuteria
We loved the fig jam which was very zesty and had strong citrus notes.
Spanish Charcuteria
The bleu cheese was super bleu-sy, which we loved. But if you’re not a fan of bleu cheese, you likely won’t care for this strong variety.
Spanish Charcuteria
The sourdough was a nice addition to the platter, too, with its light olive oil flavor and crispy crust.
Spanish Charcuteria
For the price ($12.00) we thought the Spanish Charcuteria was a bargain (in relative Disney prices, anyway). We’d definitely go back for this. But do note: cast members told us the dishes at Barcelona Lounge are prepared in a separate kitchen, and the staff here don’t have the flexibility to change out items on this dish, which comes assembled from that kitchen.
Spanish Charcuteria
Unlike the Charcuteria, A Taste of Barcelona, we discovered, can be customized insomuch as doubling up on one item if there’s something you can’t eat.
Taste of Barcelona
A Taste of Barcelona includes Marcona Almonds, Aceitunas (olives), and Marinated Manchego Cheese.
Taste of Barcelona
A Taste of Barcelona also comes with grilled sourdough.
Sour Dough
The Marcona Almonds are blanched and tasty — very easy and pleasant to eat and a great bar snack.
Taste of Barcelona
The Aceitunas are marinated and flavorful, and there are tons of them in the ramekin in which they’re served.
Taste of Barcelona
But the star on the platter — for us — is the Marinated Manchego Cheese. The marinade consists of cold-pressed olive oil, roasted red pepper, thyme, and orange zest. There’s a TON of flavor going on here, and it was delicious.
Taste of Barcelona
When sharing tapas at Barcelona Lounge, you’ll receive a simple place setting, including a small gray plate and gold-plated silverware.
Dishware
To be perfectly honest, our only complaint about Barcelona Lounge is that the barstools aren’t very comfortable. But that’s probably for the best because there’s no reason to leave once you’ve settled in. The food and drinks are top-notch, and the decor and feeling of the Lounge are compelling. We foresee a lot of evenings spent relaxing here, and that is the highest compliment we could pay.
Want to see why the decor at Barcelona Lounge is making such an impression on guests? Click here for our FIRST LOOK!
Check out our We’re LIVE post HERE for links to other Gran Destino Tower reviews and photo tours!
Are you planning a visit to Barcelona Lounge? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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